Thursday, November 17, 2005

There are two exciting new stories revolving around the Kansas City Chiefs this week:

1. Herman Edwards to replace Dick Vermeil.

We're not even sure that this is his last year, but he is 70 and likely only to stick around if they look in contention for a Super Bowl. Since they really aren't close to that, it would seem likely that he might retire. But Herman Edwards would be about as good as a replacement that would be available. He got the Jets to the playoffs 3 out of his first 4 years there. And he plays to win the game.

But will he come? It's still a rumor, but he is very close to both Dick Vermeil and the president Peterson. When he was a player on the Eagles he was coached by Vermeil, and continues to talk on the phone every Tuesday. And at his Wednesday press conference, he did little to squash the rumors. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

2. Kansas City awarded Super Bowl

This is contingent on major renovations to the stadium, including a rolling roof, and are not exactly guaranteed to happen. A year ago, while Jackson County (metro Kansas City) voted to support raising taxes to fund needed stadium improvements, the surrounding counties killed the measure.

Although watching a Super Bowl played on the grass of Arrowhead would be cool, I am more interested in the ramifications for the team. Even though the franchise has not been talked about in terms of danger of moving or folding, I recognize that it is a smaller market with a older stadium. The owner is loyal, but renovating the stadium and hosting a Super Bowl, would make sure that the Chiefs remained in Kansas City for decades without worries.

As for Arrowhead Stadium, it is very much a part of the history and charm of the team and everyone wants to maintain that integrity. An artist's rendering of the roof can be seen here, and I'm not too thrilled about it. At least it doesn't affect the unique shape of the upper deck. But the other renovations are severely neccesary to make sure that Arrowhead is a facility that continues to not only be of use, but a star in a league full of cookie-cutter fields.

As for the NFL and the media's interest in holding a Super Bowl in Kansas City itself, I'm not convinced it's a good idea. Kansas City is a great football enviorment because the people are loyal to the team, and passionate enough to make Arrowhead considered the loudest stadium in the league. And the tailgating atmosphere is out of this world. But as far as holding the World's biggest sporting event, it's a smaller city without the hotel infrastructure and excitement to pacify the grumbling reporters who should consider themselves lucky that they have a job, and that it is to cover the Super Bowl. So we'll hear lots of complaining in the weblogs of reporters. But it definetly is full of hard working midwestern people without the exciting nightlife of New Orleans and Miami.

Personally, I don't think the Super Bowl needs to be played in warm weather cities or in a dome at all. The whole spirit of football that is so attractive in the first place, is the attitude of you must play in whatever conditions exist. No tarps. If Foxboro is covered in snow, you better have a Vinatieri that can kick it 40 yards on a white field. If the Windy City is windy, you better have a Vasher that can return it 108 yards and hopefully you don't have a Gould that kicks a field goal into a pylon. If it rains in Seattle, and I don't really need the 'if', you better have an running back in his contract year. It seems the road to super bowl always runs through cold weather enviornments so why should they tough it out all year, and then in the biggest game of the year, get some turf under a roof?

Monday, November 14, 2005

I was already to send my condolences to my Cowboy loving friend, and laugh at Bledsoe trying to quiet the Philly crowd.

When the Eagles were up 17 to 7, and had 4th down from the 2, I questioned the field goal attempt. I understand that if the Eagles don't score, all the Cowboys need is a touchdown and a field goal. The Eagles get the field goal to force the Cowboys to get 2 touchdowns. But even then I was thinking, it would be better to try to make it a 3-possesion game and worse case scenario, Dallas has the ball on the 2.

Even in retrospect the FG might still have been a good idea, barring that ridiculous McNabb throw. I mean Philly had the game in hand. 20-7 with 3 minutes left. I can hardly believe it. But considering how Dallas had suffered earlier this season via the Redskins and Seahawks, I say this was karmic retribution.

Bummer though, because you would think that after throwing TO under the bus, you would think that all the karma in the world would be on the Eagles side. Perhaps, the football gods were feeling very cruel and wanted to add fuel to the TO fire. They definetly added injury to insult as McNabb's return is questionable, but the Eagles return to the playoffs has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful to out.

Most Americans don't care about soccer. The MLS Final just ended with a 1-0 game in overtime, with over 2 hours of scoreless "action" and lackluster ratings. But since soccer is so popular is throughout the world, it begs the question "Why hasn't the MLS caught on?" Here's 5 ways to fix soccer in America.

1. No offsides. How frustrating is it to see a great goal called back because the player was 2 feet ahead of the defender. If a team wants to put 6 people in front of the goal, fine with me. The only thing it will create is more offense, and then more fast breaks the other way, for more offense.

2. Goalies can't use their hands. More goals, more exciting saves as the goalie heads it over the crossbar. If he has to use his hands to save it, penalty kick. Which is more excitement. (If too many goals end up going in, they could shrink the goal itself, but I have a hard time imagining Americans complaining about too many goals in a soccer game. )

3. 4 20-minute periods. Nobody likes to look at a clock and see 42:37 counting down. People like buzzers and buzzer beaters. Plus you can go get nachos without missing one of the 18 goals in the game.

4. Make the field slightly smaller. It takes way to long to get from one end to the other. What were they thinking?

5. Goals from across midfield are worth 3. This might seem strange. But try imagining basketball without a 3-point line. When your team is down 2 with a minute remaining, you can still win. Plus, it might happen at all those buzzer beaters.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

With such a crazy week already in the NFL, you'd think it was halloween. Instead it was just windy.

The craziness begins in the windy city..

Bears score the longest touchdown ever in NFL history.Orton is riding a 5-game winning streak.SF passing 1/13, Orton: 8/13Wade fumbles 3 times on punt returns, including on the CHI 2.Down 14-6, starting on the 2. The 49ers end up kicking a field goal.

Lets go to Buffalo:

First downs, KC 22, Buff 9Yards 316-209Rush 150-61TOP, 35-25McGahee and Holcomb leave due to injury in the first half.Score 3-14. Whaa?4 Trent Green turnovers lead to 2 passing TD for the rookie Losman.7 KC posessions in Bills territory for 3pts.

Stay in NY for the Giants game (well new jersey)

Vikes int ret for td, ko ret for td, punt ret for td. 1st team in history to do so.Eli 4 picks.Eli leads last minute drive plus 2pt conversion to tie at 21.Brad leads last second drive to set up an Edinger 48 yarder to win. First offensive points come from Mr. Clutch.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

this game hardly calls penalties, even when pass intereference is turned up all the way on settings, and it is blatant, they still hardly call it. occasionally they will call clipping on punt returns, but when i see the replay, the guy called for it made a pushing motion at a guy, but nudged him, and he didn't fall over. sad.

also on that replay i noticed that of the 5 refs on the field, 0 were watching the play. the 2 on the sideline were obliviously looking away. there were 2 running towards the play - but they weren't watching. yes they were both jogging backwards towards the play. and the guy who throw the flag, was running away and looking away, turned around to throw the flag, then continued running away. sad.

they also throw the flag 40 feet up in the air. no joke. but that is better than dreamcast, which had a flag throwing motion, but no actual flag.

also if you beat a rival, you collect that trophy for your trophy room (little brown jug, purdue cannon,etc) so i shortened the quarters to 1 minute, so i could quickly collect all the trophies.

byu 21, weber st 0.

i forced a punt and then scored in the first half. i then quickly scored to start the 2nd half, and then returned an int.

Adande vs. Paige JA: Seattle, they need receivers and they can get a deal on him and lock up Alexander Woodrow: Vick and TO, yeah, baby Point to Woody

PTI TossUp Better fit Redskins or Raiders I don't remember the arguments but I know that Tony won.

Seriously as for the raiders, they seem like the perfect fit, except that they already have moss. But if they can afford him, as it sounds like no one is willing to pay big bucks, so TO might have to settle for a small incentive laden contract, then the money might not be a problem, and you can't have too many good wide outs.

So it would work. Except that I'm not convinced that Collins is good enough to make them happy. And the rest of the team needs more work than the wideout position. Porter is already doing nicely. The other thing is that they don't really throw it to Moss anyways. I mean even when he has single coverage (at least in the 2 chiefs games, that's all i know. in the first game, they didn't even try to throw it to him with the game on the line, and in sunday's game he had 8 balls his way, and he only caught the last one for 7 yds. and that's against the chiefs porous pass d minus injured surtain.

The team rankings are based only on my assessment of current team quality. This is not an accurate playoff prediction, because teams like the Jags, will coast on an easy schedule to a wild card berth. Although at this point it seems that playoffs almost seem like a formality. Just hand the trophy to the Colts.

Colts def Steelers, Panthers def Who Cares, Colts def Panthers, Peyton for Super Bowl MVP, LT for Season MVP. (Steve Smith should win it though.) Also, the Chiefs beat the Bengals on New Years Day to secure the Wild Card spot away from Fathead. Perhaps landing a playoff game at Foxboro. (Does a divisional winner automatically get the home game, or does it go by record? This would apply to the Bears, as well.)

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Early 2nd quarter: Oak kicks a field goal, up 6-0. Considering the Chiefs O has been shitty, a moral win for the D to hold them to 6 pts, and a one posession game. (Trent missed most of the week's practice attending his father's funeral. It's has to be hard to focus on football right now)

Chiefs settle for a FG. Mostly passes in the redzone. Perhaps is Priest was playing, maybe they would have run it.

Next KC drive: Holding makes it 2nd and 20. A 15-yard screen is taken away by another holding. 2nd and 30. Two big passes get it to 4th and 3, so Tynes gets a 47-yarder. 6-6. 30 secs til half.

Great return for Oak. Run for 3 yards, then kick a 48-yarder to lead 9-6 at half.

KC punt, OAK punt, KC punt, Oak punt.

Next drive includes 33 yard gonzo pass. 3rd and goal from the 6. Trent passes to T-Rich. 1st touchdown of the game. 13-6.

2 plays later Collins is picked off, and on 3rd and 2, LJ breaks some tackles on the way to the endzone. 20-6 in the 4th Q.

Raiders coming back, after 1st down incompletion at the KC 34, a questionable roughing the passer call. The announcers agree it was a bad call. Chiefs argue and get another penalty for arguing. Leads to a quick score. 20-15. They go for 2, to get within a FG, but no good. Still 10 minutes left.

3rd and 4 gets a 3yd pass to dante, chiefs punt.

Raiders start with 8 minutes left on their own 16. 3rd and 4, incomplete, but late holding penalty. 3rd and 1, jordan gets 3. 3rd and 4, jordan gets 6.

Dante looks pumped to do something about that score. Gets stopped at the 28. 1:38.incomplete, false start on gonzo. on 2nd and 15 - 12 yard pass to horn. 3rd and 3, own 35 1:20 and counting.5 yd pass to Larry. clock running7 yd pass to Larry, clock running.2nd and 3, midfield, trent gets sacked. now they would have to use one of 2 remaining time outs, 3rd and long still in own territory, with 30 ticks. but there's a flag. he was sacked because a raider dl stuck his legs out and tripped him. stops the clock, 1st down, move it up 3 yds.

13 yards to kennison. Call time. 19 seconds left on OAK 37. Tynes said to Trent "get me to the 37"Trent back looking deep, nothing open, finds Larry again, except this time, Larry's got no one in front of him. Catches it at the 35, 30, 25, are you kidding me, 20, where is the defense, 15, he's going to take it all the way, 10, two guys to beat, 5, can he do it, 1, tackled, ball comes loose, ball in the endzone, chief jumps on it, clock running almost out, holy shit, what is going on, ref says larry was down on the 1, 8 seconds left, what happened, CALL TIMEOUT.

timeout called with 5 seconds left. that's the last one. replay showed he was clearly down at the 1, then the ball came loose. Chiefs down 3. no timeouts. 5 seconds. Kick and go to overtime at home. Try and score and put that game on the line. Coach Vermeil, what's the call?

20-blast.

They're going for it.

One shot. Green takes the snap, Larry's got the ball, Shields and Dunn blocking, Larry jumps up and over and lands in the endzone with the game winner. 80,000 red fans erupt. Coach has got balls.

No RoafNo PriestNo SurtainTrent didn't practice

Could have been 4-4 and sitting in last place. Now they are 5-3, one game out of first, poised to make a playoff run.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

So the West Wing is doing a live episode. But because of the timezones they want to make it live for both coasts, so they are doing ittwice. So central will get some tape delay version. Not that I wouldwatch, but still. I picture entertainment industry lying down acrossthe united states. It is getting a footrub by LA, making out with NY,and then taking a shit on the midwest.

I saw some highlights of the Illinois basketball game last night. Itwas sad to see Dee still there. Back in May when I was still oncampus, I had the program's best interest at heart, but now that we'reout in the real world, I feel a bond with deron and luther - we're outthere making it happen. And I feel bad that Dee is stuck there foranother year.

Mike Tirico is a terrible play by play guy. He's fine for pregamestuff, but he's awful to listen to during the game. When a guy wasreturning a kickoff for a TD he shouts out "You cannot be serious!"First of all, who is the you he is talking to? Well the only peoplelistening are the guys in the booth and the fans at home. Neither oneof those people said or did anything, so why is he shouting at me. Heshould be telling me what's going on, not discrediting my seriousness.Furthermore, it's just a kickoff return, it happens. It's serious. Forthat kind of reaction, I am expecting something that hasn't happenedin the last 5 years, or a blown call.

There is all this hype about the Pats-Colts game. I still don't knowif the Colts can win in Foxboro, but I know this: even if they losethis week, and lose forever in Foxboro, they won't play there againthis year, and they're going to Detroit.

As for moving the Saints and possibility of an expansion team latercoming to NO. I really would like the Saints to stay in New Orleans.But what I want most is for there to be 32 teams in 8 equal divisions.If they ever introduce a new team, they have to take one away. Coughcough arizona cough cough.

As I wrote over the summer after seeing Schaub not get stumped inTokyo, the Falcons have a better quarterback then Michael Vick. Yes,Schuab is a better QB than Vick. Yes Vick is a better football playerthan Schuab. Yes Vick is in the top 3 football players in the NFL. Soyou can't bench him. But why can't they at least try a few plays withSchaub behind center with Vick in the slot. Who's going to guard himon running routes. If you said 2 or 3 guys, you're only half right. 2or 3 guys would try, but they still wouldn't guard him. So Vick isstill open, as is Crumps and they are running lanes for Dunn that youcould drive Rob Cordry's stretch hummer through. I'm not saying theyshould make Vick a permanent receiver, (they should) but at least tryit out. And then you can run reverses, fake reverses, flea flickers,I'm telling you it would work.

Who knows how much electricity costs? I mean you never have a choicewhen you sign up for a power company, and you need power. No one wouldever say, man that electricity sure costs a lot, I think i'll stopusing it. So really they could charge double what they are, and peoplewould pay it. Then again, maybe they already are.

I remember this like it happened yesterday.http://www.theradiotrip.com/resources/video/DAYTONY500_ACCIDENT_050905.mov

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

I wondered how long it would take for D-Will to make a splash in Utah. I didn't have to wait longer than the season opener against the Mavs. Sure the rook played the entire 4th en route to a 11-point win, sure he didn't seem to have too hard of a time adjusting to the longer arc: he nailed 3/4 from outside. Sure he debuted with 18 pts, 2nd only to bigman Okur. But what caught my eye? A shot he made inside the 3-point line. The opponent's 3-point line! A 61-footer at the 3rd quarter buzzer, cutting the deficit to 2.http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/shotchart?gameId=251102026

Around the Horn to Chicago where the Bulls come back from down 6 with 40 secs to take it to free basketball and pull of a win for the hometown crowd. Be careful. Chicago's not used to this much winning.

Is it to early to say Spurs d. Mavs, Heat d. Pistons, Spurs d. Heat. Lebron for MVP. You heard it here first folks.